Shloka 21

Śiva-nāmānukīrtana-prastāvaḥ

Prologue to the praise of Śiva and the Upamanyu testimony

Devanagari script

पूर्वकालमें ब्रह्मपुत्र तण्डीमुनिके द्वारा ब्रह्मलोकमें ब्रह्माजीके समक्ष जिस शिव- सहस्रनामका निरूपण किया गया था, उसीका आप वर्णन करें और ये उत्तम व्रतका पालन करनेवाले व्यास आदि तपोधन एवं जितेन्द्रिय महर्षि आपके मुखसे इसका श्रवण करें ।।

Transliteration

dhruvāya nandine hotre goptre viśvasṛje 'gnaye | mahābhāgyaṁ vibhor brūhi muṇḍine 'tha kapardine ||

Translation

“婆罗门之子啊，请你宣说那同一部《湿婆千名》：在往昔，檀荼牟尼曾于梵界、在梵天之前加以阐明。愿毗耶娑等具大苦行之圣仙、奉持胜誓而制伏诸根者，得从你口中听闻。请宣告大自在天吉祥的名号：坚固者、欢喜者、祭祀之司祭、护持者、宇宙之创造者、神火、剃发者、结髻者。”

Word by Word

• ध्रुवाय: to Dhruva (the steadfast one)
• ध्रुवाय: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: ध्रुव
• Form: Masculine, Dative, Singular

• नन्दिने: to Nandin
• नन्दिने: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: नन्दिन्
• Form: Masculine, Dative, Singular

• होत्रे: to the Hotṛ (sacrificial priest)
• होत्रे: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: होतृ
• Form: Masculine, Dative, Singular

• गोप्त्रे: to the protector
• गोप्त्रे: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोप्तृ
• Form: Masculine, Dative, Singular

• विश्वसृजे: to the creator of the universe
• विश्वसृजे: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्वसृज्
• Form: Masculine, Dative, Singular

• अग्नये: to Agni (fire)
• अग्नये: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्नि
• Form: Masculine, Dative, Singular

• महाभाग्यम्: great fortune / great blessedness
• महाभाग्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाभाग्य
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• विभोः: of the Lord / of the all-pervading one
• विभोः: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: विभु
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• ब्रूहि: tell; speak (it)
• ब्रूहि: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू
• Form: Imperative, Second, Singular, Parasmaipada

• मुण्डिने: to Muṇḍin (the shaven-headed one)
• मुण्डिने: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुण्डिन्
• Form: Masculine, Dative, Singular

• अथ: and; then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ

• कपर्दिने: to Kapardin (the matted-haired one)
• कपर्दिने: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: कपर्दिन्
• Form: Masculine, Dative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma (भीष्म)
• Shiva (शिव)
• Dhruva (ध्रुव) (as epithet)
• Nandin/Nandī (नन्दिन्) (as epithet)
• Hotṛ (होतृ) (as epithet)
• Goptṛ (गोप्तृ) (as epithet)
• Viśvasṛj (विश्वसृज्) (as epithet)
• Agni (अग्नि) (as epithet)
• Muṇḍin (मुण्डिन्) (as epithet)
• Kapardin (कपर्दिन्) (as epithet)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames recitation of Shiva’s names as a dharmic practice: remembering the divine through precise, reverent speech is itself a vow that cultivates purity, steadiness, and alignment with cosmic order—seeing Shiva as protector, creator, and the inner fire of transformation.

What is happening in the narrative?

Within Bhishma’s instruction, the Shiva-sahasranāma is being formally invoked. This verse strings together epithets of Shiva and urges their proclamation, continuing the litany that is to be heard by disciplined sages as part of a meritorious observance.